Switzerland miss out on their first ever European Championship semi-final on penalties, as they did three years ago. They were defeated by England after the score was 1:1 after 120 minutes.
Just like three years ago, when Switzerland reached the quarter-finals of the European Championships for the first time, the game went to penalties again. And just like against Spain back then, the Swiss were unable to cope with the pressure from the penalty spot. With Manuel Akanji, it was one of the best players of the game - perhaps even the tournament - who failed to beat goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with his first attempt.
The English, who were able to open the penalty shoot-out and play in front of their own fans thanks to the luck of the coin toss, proved to be ice-cold. All the scorers scored and took the English, who were reeling at the end, into the semi-finals after all.
The fact that the game went to penalties at all was somewhat fortunate from the English point of view. The Swiss had more power in extra time and were much closer to making it 2:1. A corner kick from substitute Xherdan Shaqiri, which was directed straight at goal, landed on the crossbar, while the direct shot from substitute Silvan Widmer went over the goal. Missed chances that ended up hurting twice over.
Embolo makes Switzerland dream
Before that, the game was characterized by mutual siege and little flow for long stretches. After initially struggling, Murat Yakin's team got into the game better in the second half. The phases of possession became longer and the actions more effective. There were still no big chances, but there were opportunities to create one.
Then it was Dan Ndoye, one of the most striking Swiss players with his speed and physicality, who simply took the ball to the middle in the 75th minute. It deflected slightly and found its way into the path of Breel Embolo, who gave Switzerland the lead. It was not necessarily on the cards, but it was not undeserved either. It was Embolo's second goal of the tournament and one that did him particularly good after he had not found his feet for a long time.
Switzerland were allowed to dream for five minutes. They were in the semi-finals for five minutes in the virtual tableau. The players were in each other's arms, the fans made the stands tremble, it was a sea of red jubilation. But England, who had already shown in the round of 16 that they can turn things around with their backs to the wall, also found their way back into this game.
It came as no surprise that it was Bukayo Saka who saved the Three Lions in extra time. The 22-year-old played a strong game, repeatedly played his opponent Michel Aebischer dizzy and was clearly the most noticeable player in attack. His problem was obviously that he was looking for his teammate too often until the 80th minute. When he did get a shot off himself, things went better: his shot from around 17 meters landed in the Swiss net via the inside of the post.
Coronation fails to materialize
The defeat in the penalty shoot-out ended an overall strong tournament for the Swiss national team in dramatic fashion. They put in an impressive performance in the preliminary round, in which they fell just short of winning their group, and shone in the round of 16 with a dominant performance. However, the third major footballing nation after Germany (1:1) and Italy (2:0) proved too high a hurdle. Reaching the quarter-finals for the second time since 2021 was a nice achievement, but the big coup that the strong generation around captain Xhaka had hoped for failed to materialize.
The team will fly back to Stuttgart that night and travel home on Sunday. For England, the semi-finals continue on Wednesday in Dortmund (21:00). Their opponents will be either the Netherlands or Turkey.
The telegram
England - Switzerland 1:1 (1:1, 1:1) n.V. - England 5:3 winners on penalties.
Düsseldorf. - 46'907 spectators. - SR Orsato (ITA). -
Goals: 75 Embolo (Ndoye) 0:1. 80 Saka 1:1.
Switzerland: Sommer; Schär, Akanji, Rodriguez; Ndoye (98. Zakaria), Freuler (118. Sierro), Xhaka, Aebischer (118. Amdouni); Rieder (63. Zuber), Vargas (63. Widmer); Embolo (109. Shaqiri).
England: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Konsa (78. Palmer); Trippier (78. Eze), Mainoo (78. Shaw), Rice, Saka; Bellingham, Kane (109. Toney), Foden (115. Alexander-Arnold).
Comments: Switzerland complete. England without Guéhi (suspended). 117th corner kick from Shaqiri hits the crossbar. Cautions: 32nd Schär. 67. Kane. 85. Widmer.
England
Switzerland
- Bukayo Saka - 1:1 (80.)
- Cole Palmer - 2:1 (1.P.)
- Jude Bellingham - 3:1 (2.P.)
- Bukayo Saka - 4:2 (3.P.)
- Ivan Toney - 5:3 (4.P.)
- Trent Alexander-Arnold - 6:4 (5.P.)
- (75.) 0:1 - Breel Embolo
- (2.P.) 3:2 - Fabian Schär
- (3.P.) 4:3 - Xherdan Shaqiri
- (4.P.) 5:4 - Zeki Amdouni
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Liveticker
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Liveticker closed
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75.
Embolo gives Switzerland the lead
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0.
One person missing from the Nati: presenter Rainer Maria Salzgeber
Anyone watching the quarter-final hammering against England on SRF today might be surprised: Where is Rainer Maria Salzgeber? The national team presenter has left the team on site and returned to Switzerland for another show. Here you can find all the information about Salzgeber's departure.
![Rainer Maria Salzgeber will no longer be at the European Championships.]()
Rainer Maria Salzgeber will no longer be at the European Championships. Keystone -
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No changes for the first time
Until now, the Swiss national team coach has always made at least one change from the previous game. This time, Murat Yakin is relying on the players who impressed in the dominant performance in the round of 16. This means that Dan Ndoye and Fabian Rieder will play on the right flank. The recently suspended Widmer, who had always been in the starting eleven in the group stage, will miss out.
Switzerland will therefore play with the familiar back three with the two Premier League players Fabian Schär (Newcastle) and Manuel Akanji (Manchester City) as well as Ricardo Rodriguez. In the four-man midfield, Ndoye and Michel Aebischer are the full-backs, while Remo Freuler and Granit Xhaka shape the game from the center. Rieder, Ruben Vargas and center forward Breel Embolo form the attack. As usual, Yann Sommer is in goal.
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The England line-up
England coach Gareth Southgate will field almost the same team as in the lucky 1-0 win over Slovakia. Only Marc Guehi, who is suspended, is replaced by Ezri Konsa in central defense.
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Switzerland's line-up is here
Murat Yakin makes no changes. Switzerland will play the quarter-final against England with the same line-up as in their convincing 2-0 win over Italy in the round of 16.
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#Preview
Swiss fans get into the mood in Düsseldorf
A sea of red flows towards the stadium in Düsseldorf. Thousands of Nati fans create a great atmosphere. Or is it tens of thousands? We don't know. In any case, the atmosphere is breathtaking.
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#Preview
The Nati fans' dressing room speech: "Manuel, put Kane in your pants pocket"
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#Preview
"Huge opportunity to experience Swiss football history"
blue Sport presenter Manu Rothmund reports from Düsseldorf, where the Nati fans have gathered. Let the fan march begin.
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#Preview
King Roger is better than King Charles
The Swiss fans make their presence felt outside the stadium and in Düsseldorf city center. Lots of red, lots of white and a little provocation.
![The only true king lives in Switzerland.]()
The only true king lives in Switzerland. Imago -
#Preview
Uefa issues weather warning for Düsseldorf
This is not good news for the Swiss national team fans in Düsseldorf. Uefa has issued a weather warning: "Heavy rain and wind are forecast for this afternoon in the Düsseldorf Arena. Don't forget your poncho!"
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#Preview
Influencers predict Switzerland vs England
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#Preview
Swiss fan with 70-year-old lucky shirt in the stadium
Swiss fan Markus Voegelin (76) is at the Düsseldorf stadium today with a 70-year-old lucky shirt. "My father wore it when I went to the 1954 World Cup in Wankdorf with him as a six-year-old," he says. Now he has unpacked it again. After years in mothballs, he wore it again for the first time in the test match against Austria.
"Since then, we haven't lost against Austria, Hungary, Scotland, Germany and Italy. That's a good omen for today," says the Basel native. In 1954, the Germans experienced the "Miracle of Bern". Today, 70 years later, Voegelin and the whole of Switzerland are hoping for the "Miracle of Düsseldorf" and a Swiss victory in the quarter-final clash against England. The lucky shirt should help.
![Will a 70-year-old lucky shirt help the Nati reach the semi-finals?]()
Will a 70-year-old lucky shirt help the Nati reach the semi-finals? zvg -
#Preview
Hello...
... and welcome to the live ticker for the European Championship quarter-final between Switzerland and England. Will Yakin, Xhaka and Co. triumph in the match of the year for the Swiss national team or will the billion-strong England squad reach the semi-finals after all? Watch it live here.
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121.+8.End of match
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121.+Goal for England, 6:4 through penalties from Trent Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Defender
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121.+Goal for Switzerland, 5:4 through penalties from Zeki Amdouni
Zeki Amdouni
Striker
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121.+Goal for England, 5:3 through penalties from Ivan Toney
Ivan Toney
Striker
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121.+Goal for Switzerland, 4:3 through penalties from Xherdan Shaqiri
Xherdan Shaqiri
Midfielder
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121.+Goal for England, 4:2 through penalties from Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka
Midfielder
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121.+Goal for Switzerland, 3:2 through penalties from Fabian Schär
Fabian Schär
Defender
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121.+Goal for England, 3:1 through penalties from Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham
Striker
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121.+Switzerland misses penalty
Manuel Akanji
Defender
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121.+Goal for England, 2:1 through penalties from Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer
Midfielder
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121.Penalty kick
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120.+2.End of 2nd half extra time
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118.Substitution in Switzerland
Zeki Amdouni
Striker
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118.Substitution out Switzerland
Michel Aebischer
Midfielder
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118.Substitution in Switzerland
Vincent Sierro
Midfielder
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118.Substitution out Switzerland
Remo Freuler
Midfielder
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115.Substitution in England
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Defender
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115.Substitution out England
Phil Foden
Striker
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110.Substitution in England
Ivan Toney
Striker
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110.Substitution out England
Harry Kane
Striker
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109.Substitution in Switzerland
Xherdan Shaqiri
Midfielder
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109.Substitution out Switzerland
Breel Embolo
Striker
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106.Kick-off 2nd half extra time
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105.+2.End of 1st half extra time
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98.Substitution in Switzerland
Denis Zakaria
Midfielder
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98.Substitution out Switzerland
Dan Ndoye
Midfielder
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91.Kick-off 1st half extra time
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90.+3.End of 2nd half
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85.Yellow card Switzerland
Silvan Widmer
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80.Goal for England, 1:1 through Bukayo Saka (Declan Rice)
Bukayo Saka
Midfielder
Assist: Declan Rice
Midfielder
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78.Substitution in England
Cole Palmer
Midfielder
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78.Substitution out England
Ezri Konsa
Defender
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78.Substitution in England
Eberechi Eze
Midfielder
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78.Substitution out England
Kieran Trippier
Midfielder
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78.Substitution in England
Luke Shaw
Defender
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78.Substitution out England
Kobbie Mainoo
Midfielder
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75.Goal for Switzerland, 0:1 through Breel Embolo
Breel Embolo
Striker
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67.Yellow card England
Harry Kane
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64.Substitution in Switzerland
Silvan Widmer
Midfielder
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64.Substitution out Switzerland
Ruben Vargas
Striker
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64.Substitution in Switzerland
Steven Zuber
Midfielder
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64.Substitution out Switzerland
Fabian Rieder
Striker
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46.Kick-off 2nd half
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45.+2.End of 1st half
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32.Yellow card Switzerland
Fabian Schär
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1.Start of the match
